Island



(No Model.)

I. B. .THATGHER.

SALT SHAKER.

No. 5'7Z,138. Patented Dec. 1,18%.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

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UNITED ST TES IPA-TENT FREDERICK B. THATCHER, or "PROVIDENCE, RHODEISLAND.

SALT-SHAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,138, dated December1, 1896. Application filed August 29,1891. Serial No. 404,071. {Nomodel.)

To all whont it ntay concern.-

Be it known that LFREDERICK B. THATCHER, of the city and county ofProvidence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Salt-Shakers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing specification, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

The object of the present invention is to produce a salt-shaker or otheranalogous de vice which shall be self-closing and which when closedshall be practically moisturetight, so as to prevent the contents fromabsorbing moisture from the external atmosphere, whereby said contentswill be preserved in a dry state in any and all conditions of theatmosphere.

To that end the invention consists in the combination, with a suitablereceptacle provided with discharge-orifices, of a springactuated coverwhich may be raised so as to permit the discharge of the contents of thereceptacle and which when released will be returned by the spring so asto close the receptacle and effectually exclude moisture from theinterior thereof.

The invention further consists in certain combinations and arrangementsof parts hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of asalt-shaker embodying my invention and showing the parts in closedposition. Fig. 2 is alike perspective View showing the parts in positionfor discharging the contents of the receptacle. Fig. 3 is a centralvertical section of Fig. 1. Fig. is a top view of the receptacle withthe cover removed, and Fig. 5 is a top View with the cover in place.

A represents a suitable receptacle, which may be of any desired shape orsize, that shown in the drawings being of cylindrical form and of a sizesuitable for an individual salt-shaker for table use. This receptacle Ais preferably provided with a standard B, said standard being preferablyhollowto receive and inclosc certain of the other parts. Fitted onto thetop of the receptacle is a cap or top a, which is provided with a seriesof discharge-orifices a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Arranged centrallywithin the receptacle A and fitted to slide through holes formed in thestandard B and cap a, respectively, is a rod 5, which is supported inplace by the standard B and the cap a. The lower end of the rod Z) isenlarged or provided with a thumbpiece I), and surrounding the lower endof said rod 1) is arranged a spiral spring a, one end of said springbearing against the thumbpiece I) and the other end of said springbearing against the standard or the bottom of the receptacle. The upperend of the rod 12 which projects through and above the cap a, as shown,is reduced in diameter so as to form an annular shoulder cl. To theupper end of said rod is secured a cover 6, corresponding in shape tothe shape of the receptacle,said cover being held in place upon the rodby being clamped between the shoulder d and a thumbnut e, screwed uponthe end of the rod, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To render more certain the formation of a moisture-tight joint betweenthe cover 6 and the cap or top of the receptacle, said cap a ispreferably provided with a conical portion a and the cover 6 providedwith a conical flange c the interior diameter of the edge of said flange6 being preferably somewhat less than the greatest'exterior diameter ofthe conical portion of the cap, and so that said flange 6 will becertain to find a seat upon the conical portion (t of the cap and form atight joint therewith.

The operation of the parts is as follows: The spring 0 in its normalposition serves to hold the cover e down upon the top of the receptacleand thus close the interior of said receptacle against the entrance ofmoisture. hen it is desired to discharge any of the contents of thereceptacle, all that is necessary is to simply push upon the thumb-pieceb, and thus lift the cover 6 against the action of the spring into theposition shown in Fig. 2, for instance. The contents of the receptacleor any portion thereof may then be readily shaken out through thedischarge-oritices a. Upon releasing the'pressure upon the thumb-piece bthe spring 0 will immediately serve to return the cover 6 to its seatand again close the interior of the receptacle against the entrance ofmoisture, the device being thus entirely self-closing.

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The advantages of the device above described will be readilyunderstoodand appreciated, and it will be seen that while the device issimple in construction and easily manipulated the entrance of moistureto the interior of the receptacle will be effectually prevented, withthe result that the contents will be kept in a dry state in allconditions of the atmosphere, thereby avoiding, in the case of salt, forinstance, the absorption of moisture and the consequent packing and0105- ging s0 troublesome and annoying in the case of salt-shakers asheretofore constructed.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a suitable receptacle having a perforated'topprovided with a conical portion to form a seat, a rod passing throughsaid receptacle and through said perforated top, a cover secured to theouter end of said rod, said cover being provided with a conical flangearranged to seat upon the conical portion of said perforated top, and aspring acting upon said rod to normally hold said cover in its closedposition, substantially as described.

' FREDERICK B. THATCllEB Witnesses:

W. H. THURSTON, S. J. MURPHY.

